The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) has released a progress report on the 42-kilometre Mombasa-Kwa Jomvu-Mariakani highway.
In a statement issued on Friday, September 5, the Authority stated that the first phase of the project, from Mombasa to Kwa Jomvu, was 95.45 percent complete, while the second phase, from Kwa Jomvu to Mariakani, was 35 percent complete.
During a routine inspection of the project, KeNHA Director General Luka Kimeli provided key updates on the highway, including compensation for those affected by project implementation.
Kimeli, who was in the company of Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, disclosed that the government had already commenced the compensation of the victims, with the process expected to be complete by the end of September this year.
He also stated that the government had provided adequate funds to the National Land Commission for the compensation of victims affected by the project.
According to Kimeli, the funds would also be used to pay the contractors, avoiding further delays in the completion of the project, which had previously stalled for years.
The project began in 2023 and was funded by the European Investment Bank, the German Development Bank, and the European Union for a total of Ksh19 billion.
The works include upgrading the current two-way single-lane road to a four-lane dual carriageway, as well as the construction of climbing and service lanes.
It is part of the Nairobi-Mombasa highway, which runs from the Mombasa highway to the Kwa Jomvu interchange and then through Miritini, Mazeras, and Mariakani before ending at the Mariakani Wehibridge.
The project, which was originally scheduled to be completed by 2026, was recently restarted after being stalled for several months due to insufficient funds to pay landowners and contractors.
However, it came about after President William Ruto’s administration released funds in April of this year to pay off outstanding bills, including landowner and contractor compensation.
Following the award of the contract to China City Construction Group’s Engineering Bureau, the Ministry of Transport held several meetings with development partners to discuss highway funding.
